Of the Skill: Training Kie
Previous: Of the Way: Training of Kie *'WARNING: This article is rated M for mature, not suitable for readers under the age of 15.' Three Days That almost made Sachi's blood ran cold, and her expression turned into that of a shocked one. "Judging by the look on your face, you didn't see this coming," he walked back to the table, sitting down. "Well, just for the record, neither did I." "That...just can't be possible...." Sachi said softly, putting a hand to her forehead. "Wouldn't that require a high degree of power? Only Seireitou would have that..." Ean tossed her his mask, which she shakily caught. "The lenses have records of charts I recorded when I fought him for the first time. When I almost killed him, his exhertion levels were one percentage point above Seireitou's." Sachi took a deep breath, calming herself as she studied the readings. "That could only mean that his stamina would be higher...." Her shock slowly faded. "And that would mean, Kie is more stronger than Seireitou? In terms of stamina, at least." "Kie was raised in a ninja village. To them, stamina is power. which means that if he has more stamina than Seireitou, then he is more powerful than Seiretiou. But that's not the point. He seems to have absolutely no access to any of this," said Ean, explaining the system. "Those eyes have sensors that pick up energy usage. They were going crazy once we got warmed up, but he never once used an actual technique." "I'm assuming part of this training involves teaching him to access that energy?" Sachi asked, raising an eyebrow. "It relies almost solely on it," he said, reaching for his mask. "Now, it was very lucky for you to be here at this time, as you're clan's ability requires a certain amount of chakra control. Coupled with my expertise at his own style, which he needs to be properly trained in anyway, I believe that we can craft him into a leader for the land." Sachi slowly got off of the couch, tossing Ean back the mask, which he caught. "Very well. But, but how long would this take?" After donning his mask, Ean thought about it. "I'd say a maximum of three weeks. I hope you're not planning on anything soon," he said, walking to the door. "Quite a long time....better hope he learns quickly...." The blonde commented. "Yes..." Ean said, opening the door. It was now pouring rain, and when he cracked the entrance open, the sound of rain hitting the ground was louder than ever. "Let us hope." He stepped outside the door, and, in a cloud of snow, he vanished into the rain. Sachi sighed, glancing over at the raindrops that pounded through the window. Her expression was that of thought and slight grief, as her thoughts drifted to her dead "husband". "Seireitou...it still seemed too early." She placed a hand to her heart. "You didn't have to do what you did...you didn't have to go that far for peace...but you did anyway." She closed her eyes slightly as she got up, staring over at the window for a moment before heading down the darker hallways of the hospital. "The past just might come to bite me in the ass, Ean...when I'm not expecting it." Impression Sachi was just reaching a fifth door when she heard slight snoring inside. She immediately stopped in her tracks, glancing at it and seeing the door was cracked. Unable to help her curiousity, she leanded over and pushed the door slightly open, just enough for her to see through. Inside was the sleeping form of Kie. His hair looked messy, and bandages were all around his figure. But he slept soundly, his chest breathing up and down, and no wheezing was heard. Sachi could only stare in slight gawking, as she looked over his figure from afar. "So this is the boy Ean was talking about.." She thought. "I was expecting some dark-looking or emoish kid, but he looks like an ordinary villager." She glanced sideways. "Then again, he's no ninja. I hope Ean knows what he's doing." She pushed the door open slightly, and stepped quietly inside. She took a seat next to the bed he lay in, looking over his damage figure to make sure he was OK. Then, once it was confirmed, she folded her arms across her chest, her legs crossing, and her head tilting sideways. It wasn't long before she too fell asleep, unaware of what might happen once he woke up.... Ean was trying to gain information on Kie. He knew he came from kirigakure, at least his father was dead, and he had extremely high levels of power. And since he was on a separate continent from his colleagues, the most he could get was messages from the eighth force. He needed more than he had. I hope that just a walk in the rain might help... First Night It was still raining. The walk didn't help. He still had no idea what he could do. So, he went back to the clinic. He found Sachi and Kie asleep, her next to his bed. He walked over, sitting on the ground next to her chair, trying not to wake her up. Readings from his seismic sensors revealed a cave to the north of the town. They'd train there after Kie healed, and soon he'd be back on his life's track. But, he did need to find out more about his training partners, at least. Sachi was too much of an emotional mystery, and Kie had no history at all. This may be fun. He looked up at the boy, and then the blond. Obviously, the frostier side of his personality had... images... but his sober side punched them out his head. Soon, he felt himself drifitng off to sleep, and just as he realized that it was almost midnight, he drifted off into a dream. Red. That was all what he saw. Even though outlines of the forest were clear, every color of the environment was red. But that wasn't what schocked him. A humanoid figure stood above him, his arm raised in the air as if holding something. Then, as it became slightly clear, it was revealed to be the silhouette of a sword blade, pointed upwards at the crimson sky. He had no time to think, as the figure pulled his arm down, straight upon his head. He heard a sickening crack, before all went black... '' He suddenly awoke from his dream... no, nightmare, and found that the weather had lightened, and it was morning. He got up, pondering what the dream was about. Second day It was just... death. By someone's hand. He had no idea whose it was, but he had seen his death, and it wasn't something he wanted to see. He couldn't even remember what the character looked like, it was just a sihlouette. It was eerie, and, as most dreams happened to be, foreboding and most likely foreshadowing. "...Ean?" Kie's voice drew him back to his senses. "You look like as if you seen a ghost...." He stood facing the door for a second. He tried to recall the dream, the shape of the figure who brought death. He was... supposedly male... used a sword... long hair... Realization dawned on him. It wasn't the good realization, it was the kind of realization that the thing on your back isn't just a piece of string, it's a snake. The ice swordsman tried to maintain his cool. This was grave, and it had a direct effect on what happened from then on... Ean turned to Kie, his face serious, maybe even worried. "...I'm fine... Kie." Kie grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Good, I was startin' to think you might faint. Then they'd have to put ''you in a hospital bed!" He said cheerfully. Ean forced a smile. "Heheh, yeah, I guess so. You feel any better?" he asked, quickly changing the subject. "Are you kidding?" Kie replied, working out one of his arms. "I could do backflips now! I feel as good as new!" Ean genuinely chuckled this time. "Well, I want you to be able to jump off a building and land on your head without getting hurt. You need to rest a bit more," he said, walking over to the sink to get a drink of water. "Doctor said three days, after tomorrow you're out." Kie sighed in relief, the grin still visible on his face. "That's good to hear...." Then, suddenly, his eyes widened, and he stared at Ean in shock, shrunken pupils and all. "WAIT, ARE YOU INSANE?!" He comically yelled. Ean did not reply, instead he walked over to Kie's bed and pointed a finger at his stomach where the swordsman had been run through. "Do you want me to jab you there?" he asked, his eyebrow cocked and his eyes revealing mischief. The boy slightly recoiled as if he had been slapped. "No, I-i'm fine...." Ean grinned. He walked over to a window, trying to see what the weather was like. Maybe he should go out to find that cave. "Therein lies my point. Rest until you fully are healed, and then I'll teach you along with the help of miss Urami," he said, looking down at the still sleeping woman in the chair. He then set down his glass, and walked to the door. "Tell Sachi to meet me at the gates of the town when she wakes up, okay?" Kie looked over at the woman, looking slightly confused. "Isn't she a nurse, or something?" He asked. "I never saw her--" "Mmmm...." Sachi muttered, shaking her head slightly and sitting slightly straighter. She took one hand and rubbed her head. "That's the last time I'm sleeping in a chair..." "Oh, well, never mind then," said Ean, just as he was about to step outside. "And I suppose you never were introduced, huh?" Kie simply shook his head. "Nope." The blonde simply nodded, still mostly sleepy. Geez, Sachi, not much for dignity huh? '' thought Ean. "Well, this is Sachi Urami, of the Leaf's Urami clan," he said, motioning his hand towards the blond woman. "She will be your other instructor for the training." "''Other instructor?" Kie almost burst into laughter. "I mean, the lady's half-asleep! She's probably as instructing as a tiny bug!" He folded his arms across his chest. "She'd probably get two words before she just fai--" WHAM! Kie suddenly felt his vision go sideways, as Sachi's elbow slammed into his nose. His confident mood vanished quickly, and he held his face in comical pain. "Owww....." One of Sachi's narrowed eyes twitched, and she pulled back her arm. "I think that was enough to wake me." She said calmly, pulling herself up from the chair and walked past Ean slowly. "If you'll excuse me..." Ean moved out of Sachi's way, almost frightened. He turned to Kie, his eyes slightly widened, "... You know, you can be a total moron sometimes..." "....I-I think she broke my nose...." was Kie's meek reply. "You want a painkiller for it?" asked Ean, grabbing a nearby bottle from the counter, while walking over to Kie's bed. Kie scoffed, sniffing a bit. Thankfully, the blood vessels didn't burst. "Just because my nose is a little screwed up doesn't mean I'm helpless...." Ean suddenly caught Kie's nose between two of his knuckles, his expression revealing nothing but annoyance, severity, and grim intentions. "Now, I want you to be very careful around Miss Urami, and you will call her by her last name. Got it?" Kie's shock was there before he realized it. "Y-yes.....sir....." He stuttered. "Good," said Ean as he released Kie's face from his grasp. He walked back to the counter, set down the bottle, and went back to the door. "This isn't for my own preference, or for being polite, but for your safety. Miss Urami isn't the type of person to mess with, as you can feel." Kie shook his head, freeing himself from the sudden ache in his nose. "I can see that...." He replied, his voice calmer. He sank back down into the bed he was lying on, staring up at the ceiling. "Alright. I'm going to go set up our training post, and try to see if Miss Urami hasn't been deterred by your mocking. Try to rest while we're gone, okay?" said Ean, opening the door, taking one step outside while securing his mask. Kie nodded slightly. "I'll try to...." Differences "Good," Ean stepped outside the door, looking up and down the hallway. He just caught her walking into a room, with an arm of fresh clothes. Geez, she even brought an entirely new outfit. I only bring a single change of threads on top of what I'm wearing, why do girls need to have a different outfit every day? he wondered as he walked down to the door, which was locked and closed. Of course, his frost side created more images, and, after punching them out of his head, he proceeded to wait for his assistant instructor to exit the changing room. On the inside, Sachi was sitting on the bench, very quick to change. She had slipped off her old clothing and was currently in only her grayish color underwear. Then, she sensed Ean's presence outside of the door, looking over at it. "Hold on a moment, Ean, this'll just take a minute!" She called out, slipping on a white hakama shirt first. "I'm not in a hurry, no need to rush," he replied through the door. He waited for a moment, and then said "I've been meaning to ask you, how do you like, or dislike, the boy?" A sigh came from inside, followed by the sound of more clothes shuffling. "First impression? Hyperactive, arrogant, and possibly ignorant. a.k.a, a brat." Ean chuckled, heartily, "Heh, that can be hammered out of him. But I hope he's not unteachable to you..." "If he doesn't get on my nerves too much, he won't be." The clothes shuffling sound stopped, followed by footsteps. "All right, I'm coming out." Ean stepped away from the doorway, retorting "Well, I just hope neither of you get on my nerves..." The door opened, and out stepped Sachi. She looked over at Ean, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "I'm sorry, Ean..." She said, a teasing tone in her voice. "It's just that you're more funnier when you're annoyed." "Hahah, no." he said, adding a fake laugh and placing his almost literally freezing cold hand on the back of her neck. At contact, Sachi immediately yelped and lost her balance. Unfortunately, she fell straight on top of Ean, and they both fell to the floor in a clumsy manner. Sachi's eye twitched, as she found her face on the ground. She pushed her arms up, ready to get off both the ground and Ean. Oh, very funny. You made me trip over my own....wait a minute....who's that breathing on my che--" Suddenly, she realized that Ean's face was not where it should be. She immediately pushed herself off, a flustered and almost comical look on her face as she looked down at Ean. "U-Uh...are you....OK?" Ean was on the ground, holding onto the left side of his face, the other in a mad blush. He said quickly and slightly stifled under a small trickle of water, which began to freeze on his face, "Slap me. Now." Sachi looked at him incredulously for a moment....before shrugging, pulling one hand back, and.... SMACK! Shards of ice flew off his face with the sheer force she slapped him, and a few residents who could move looked out of their doors to see what the loud noise was. Ean was now at least a few feet down the hall from where he had been, and he got up, his face still blushing and the right side of it bright red. "Thank you. Didn't want this to turn into to something I might've been killed for," he said, rubbing his cheek. "You're welcome." Sachi replied, turning on her heel. Her trademark small smile was on her face. "Come on...before the doctors harass us about good manners." "Yes, we need to prepare anyway," continued Ean, walking with her down the hall. "Already prepared...." Sachi replied, her footsteps almost synchronizing with Ean's. "Oh, so you found my training location, did you?" asked Ean, interested in these preperations she had made. "You didn't think I was simply sitting around this whole time, did you?" She retorted. "Okay, fine, I underestimated you," said Ean, holding his hands up. "Sue me. But, I'd really like to hear about these preparations you made..." "Actually, I didn't." Sachi slightly shrugged. "I simply and accurately guessed." Ean thought about this. "Liar. Looking at my mask's map system doesn't count as guessing." Sachi's grin got slightly wider. "Ok, maybe I was a little bit curious..." "Hmph. Sounds Like I need to get you one of those..." said Ean. "Anyway, did you actually go there?" "Yeah. It was before I first met up with you. I only had a glimpse of it, though. Being chased didn't help my chances of investigation...." "Ah, authorities always ruin everything. Well, the cave gets to be about ninety degrees all day, which makes it the perfect place to train. I could even use some of James' practices on Kie, Mahahahaha," said Ean, adding the evil chuckle at the end for effect. Sachi looked at him wierdly, raising an eyebrow, then glancing behind her. "You do realize....there are people staring now....right?" She asked calmly, although her tone held slight laughter. Ean looked around, but at the sight of his eyes they mostly backed off. "And I suppose what I just said sounds extremely awkward..." "The laugh was...." Sachi rolled her eyes. Ean dropped his head lower, trying to hide behind his coat collar. "I'm certainly not laughing like that again..." they reached the end of the hallway, into the lobby. "I think that a full visit would be good for this. Why not go there?" Sachi smiled. "Of course. I'd like to get acquainted." Ean stepped outside, as did Sachi. "Okay... Now hold still and be quiet," he said while taking Sachi's hand and standing there, closing his eyes in the process. Sachi immediately caught on, closing her eyes as well. The immature part of her was wondering why Ean was holding her hand, but she shoved it aside like garbage. Ean clearly knew what he was doing. Suddenly Ean spoke, "Okay, do you think you could stand being transformed into snow without throwing up when we get there?" he said, his eyes still closed. "I didn't eat much, so I can last." She replied. "Alrigt, I'm going to trust you on this one..." said Ean. He gripped her hand tightly, and suddenly, without warning, they felt as if they were no more. The Coldest Realm Then they were on solid ground again. Ean said "Okay, you can open your eyes now." Sachi slowly opened her eyes....and her expression changed to that of astonishment. "This place..." "It's the realm of Jaque de Glaciation." said Ean, moving closer to Sachi. The realm could not possibly be any kind of earth. It was a complete whiteout, it was cold, and the outlines of mountains could just barely be seen through the blinding white of the snow falling in insurmountable clouds, pushed by the howling wind that characterized the deathly feeling of the area. There was a sun, but it was impossible to tell where it was coming from, as the snow blocked it out. There seemed to be no direction, or weight either. it was just existence. Ean tightened his grip on Sachi's hand, turning to face her. "Can you see past me?" he asked. Sachi turned her own head to face where Ean was standing and squinted her eyes slightly. But it was way two difficult to see through the blizzard. "No, the snow's too blinding...." She replied, just enough for him to hear. Ean sighed. "Okay. You need to stay as close to me as possible. Just feel your way to stay towards me, and we'll be fine." he said. Scahi's grip tightened slightly on Ean's own. She nodded slightly. "Lead the way..." Ean took an unsure step, as he could feel where he was going, but could not see it. He had to make sure Sachi didn't stray off into nothing. After a few meters of movement, thundering footsteps could be heard. Ean quickly and frantically turned, facing a large giant form in the whiteness walking towards them assumedly unable to see them. He pulled Sachi into his arms and stood there, as still as a rock, somehow turning white to mix in with the snow. Oh shit... not ''him...'' Sachi's eyes widened at the sudden pulling of her arm and the contact with Ean's chest. As she felt him wrap his arms around her, she sensed another presence, and knew that this was for possibly good reason. "Ean?" She managed to whisper. "What is that?" "Sh!" said Ean, as he shoved her into his chest even more, his eyes even... fearful of that giant. It eventually passed over, walking into the snowy white, his footsteps still clouding the sounds of the realm. Ean stared in the direction of the giant's path, making absolute sure he wasn't coming back. He then realized he had been pressing the blond to his figure tightly, and awkwardly and suddenly let go. "U-uh... *Ahem*... um... sorry...'bout that... " he said, slightly blushing. But Sachi's hand reached out and grabbed Ean's wrist before he could pull it back completely. She couldn't help but blush and frown slightly. "Hmph...so you got a little scared and held on to me...and I thought you would be a man about it." She mused, as her hair whipped behind her. "That was Jaque de Glaciation. He's the bully of the gods, and if either of us had given ourselves away, we'd both be dead as of now. Technically, I'm trespassing on his land..." said, Ean continuing his walk. Sachi sighed, hand slowly sliding down to Ean's hand once again as she walked. "That just makes me feel a whole lot safer...." "Since this is the fastest way to travel without tiring out, we had no choice. We'd be too tired by the time we got to the training grounds." he said, defending his road. "I just hope we're near the training grounds." Sachi said, her voice slightly eager. "I don't exactly want to face that thing down..." Ean looked to Sachi, "That's just it," he said, stopping at a spot he seemed to have known was their stop. "We can't." He pulled out his rapier and stabbed the "ground" they were on, and suddenly the snow gave way. There was now a large hole in the ice, leading down to what seemed to be the area of the training grounds, a mountain clearly visible on the land below them. Ean turned to Sachi, asking "Do you absolutely, completely trust me on this one?" "If I didn't trust you completely...." Sachi retorted calmly, as she looked downwards toward the hole. "I wouldn't have bothered to come." "Okay then," said Ean facing the hole. "Don't scream." He grabbed Sachi and jumped into the hole, leaving them to a free fall through tens of thousands of feet of air, gaining speed and force as they went. "WOAH!" Sachi's mind screamed, and her own expression went into shock. Her hair continued to whip behind her as she and Ean descended from thousands of feet to what seemed to be their deaths. She felt her heart race with adrenaline, threatening to break from the ribcage. She soon found herself grinning, for she didn't find it fearful. She found it exciting. They were nearing the ground, faster and faster, plummeting like rocks in the ocean. Ean tried to shout over the roaring of the winds through their ears "Hold on! This is gonna get rough!" he yelled, and, just before they were about to hit the treetops, they disintegrated into snow once more, landing on their feet directly in front of the cave they were trying to find. "So, how was your first time using a god road?" asked Ean, acting like they hadn't just trespassed on a God's lands, broken a hole in the separation between deities and men and been in a 50,000 foot free fall that could've most likely ended in death. Sachi placed a hand to her heart, feeling its beat become slower and slower as she regained her calmer side. She herself looked surprised. "I might be insane for saying this, but.... that was thrilling." Ean looked at her through his mask like she said she might've been. "Well, I'm glad you liked it. Last first timer I brought on one of those trips actually did not take it well..." he said, looking into the cave. "I'm not surprised about that...." Sachi replied matter-of-factly, looking around. "We just leaped from thousands of feet..." "From the back yard of a God, remember," said Ean, continuing what Sachi had said. He looked over to the blond and realized they had not yet let go of eachother's hands, and quickly and flusteredly relinquished his grip on Sachi's own. "Oh!" Sachi blushed slightly. "Sorry, Ean." Ean stepped to the mouth of the cave, "I-it's okay. I think we should take a look inside, don't you?" He said, changing the subject, albeit his ears a tiny bit red. "Damn, it's even cold in here!" Sachi thought, folding her arms across her chest as if attempting to keep warm. "Anything to escape that blizzard." She said gratefully. Ean chuckled, a warm, almost child-like one, "Heheh, don't worry. It's gonna get way warmer as we go deeper. I chose this cave for a purpose, as the mountain that contains it used to be a volcano hundreds of thousands of years ago. The temperatures deeper in the cave are fairly high, like summer, and the crystals down there refract very little light sources into larger, more powerful ones, so it's ideal for training." he explained. Sachi ran her fingers through her hair. "And we went through all of that just to get to it....you always outdo yourself when it comes to getting into trouble." Ean stopped in his tracks. He turned slowly, on his heel, to face Sachi, his eyebrow raised to comic levels. "You do realize... That not a single moment has passed since we left in this world?" he inquired. Sachi looked at Ean quizically, putting her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?" She asked. "Not a single second has passed since we left the clinic. God realms' time-spaces have absolutely no correlation to the time-space in this world, that's what makes taking that road so convenient," he said in a tone showing this wasn't the first time he had to explain this. Sachi sighed. "That's typical... are you saying that we could be staying here for like a day, when in reality, no time passes by?" She shrugged slightly. "Well, at least we don't have to rush that much." Into the Cave Ean smiled. "Glad you see it my way. C'mon, let's go deeper into the cave, we need to set up there," he said, turning around once again and walking into the darker parts of the grotto, his mask lighting the way for him. Sachi followed, her footsteps sounding echoes throughout the cave walls. "Gee, thanks. With that light of yours, I can definitely see things your way." She said, smiling. Ean's eye twitched under the layer of metal. "I can turn it on low, and then I'll have to carry you down there, if you would prefer that," he said, putting his stress on the fact that she'd be humiliated by this act of so-called chivalry. Sachi's own eye twitched, and scowled. "Oh, no.... I'd have to slice your throat first." She retorted. "Hey, you're not the only one with a sword down here." "True. But can you make someone's own body constrict on itself?" "I can stop it from functioning completely." "That works, too." They were making it farther and farther into the cave, to the point where the only light was Ean's mask, and the temperature was gaining considerably. Ean soon shed his jacket, showing the thin under-armor shirt he wore underneath. "See, it is getting hot down here..." he said. Sachi blew a gust of air from her mouth, rolling up her sleeves. "Uh...you didn't happen to bring any sunscreen, did you?" She asked. "Sunscreen is for the sun, not for heat. The only way to stay cool down here is to remove layers, in which case I already have done. And please, don't take that the wrong way," said Ean as he kept walking. "Don't worry, Ean. I'm not perverted, if that's what you're saying." Sachi said assuredly. Ean's eyes flattened out comically, "Actually, I was trying to say I'' wasn't a pervert..." "Then you're a liar." Sachi smirked. Ean kept walking, "So that's what I get for being polite? A sarcastic remark?" "I'm only joking with you, Ean." Sachi came up and slapped Ean lightly on the back. "I guess it's just I have a different sense of humor..." "You know any attempts at humor are going to fail if both people are sarcastic jerks," said Ean, now feeling his way along the wall. "I just hope we're neither of those..." Sachi mushroom sighed. "I don't know about you, but I know ''I'm not." She looked over at where Ean's hands were, as they slid across the wall. "Lookin' for a panel?" She asked. "No, a very, very small alcove. Look around the walls, they're about shoulder height." he replied, still searching the rough surface for this opening in the wall. Sachi reached out and felt with her own hands along the wall. It had, no surprise, a rough texture, and slightly jagged edges to its surface. "Should I search on the other side?" She asked. "Yeah, fallen crystal deposits normally take chunks of the wall with them. We're looking for those, so if you feel any on the other side tell me." Sachi nodded, walking over to the other side and searching. It was a shame these crystals weren't the ones that shone very brightly. It would've made it a whole lot easier for the both of them. Mostly easier for me. Ean has his mask, and I'm stuck with only my swor--wait... Her hand finally brushed up against something.... foreign. She put one of her hands forward. It felt like she was reaching into part of a hole. She stepped forward, feeling something under her feet. Something hard... "I think I've found those fallen crystal deposits you were talking about." "What?" said Ean as he walked over to see what Sachi had found. He turned the light on where Sachi's feet were, and, when he saw the brightness of the crystal, he knelt down and plucked it from the ground, moving closer to Sachi so she could see it more clearly. He held it between their faces, and, after removing his mask, he spoke, "This is the rare crystal known as the star stone, used a long time ago for lighting purposes. Here, breath on it and see what happens," he said, holding it out for her to take. Sachi gently took it into her own hand, holding it out in her palm. She breathed in slightly, then blew lightly onto its surface. It began to glow slightly, a soft, almost unnatural light enveloping the surface Sachi's breath had touched. The light was enough to see each other's faces, and a portion of the wall, like a small candle. Ean was smirking now, "Heh, that's why I like these things so much. C'mon, we're getting close. And, you might want to keep that crystal." "No kidding." Sachi agreed, switching the crystal to her right hand. "We don't exactly want a repeat of what happened back at the hospital..." Ean stopped immediately, his head lowered and his arms held aloft, smoke obviously rising off of his cranium, as well as his ears turning red. "That was a complete accident, I hope you know..." he said, slightly exasperated. Sachi grinned at the reaction. "An accident that shouldn't happen again, right?" She held up the crystal, now able to see much better with it. "Lead the way, Ean." "Yes, I shall," he said, his composure regaining. They had to travel another long tunnel, in even greater darkness now, until Ean finally stopped. "Hmm..." Sachi stopped as well, feeling a sense of apprehension in her chest. Somehow, it had grown to be natural to be alert. "Something the matter?" She asked in a slightly nervous tone. Ean moved along a wall that had not been there before. He inspected the rock face with extreme scrutiny, and, after bringing his eyes as close to the blackish stone as possible, he stepped back and unsheathed his sword. He asked Sachi "Do you have the skill to stab an ant in the heart with your sword?" Sachi raised an eyebrow, then slowly unsheathed her own sword. "Depends on what kind of ant..." She replied. Ean unsheathed his other sword also. He knelt down under a spot on the rock wall, placing his blades parallel to each other. "I need you to pierce the rock wall at the point where the tips of my swords make a line, crossing with the lane created by their edges. That is the breaking point for this wall, and if you hit it dead on, the wall will fall away from us." He took a pause and then continued, "Sadly, if you hit it incorrectly, it will most likely kill me, so please.... do your best..." said Ean, the last words being used with a concerned voice. A worried look crossed Sachi's face, before she sighed, nodding. "Gotcha..." She said quietly, positioning her sword to aim at the desired spot. She cleared her mind of her doubts. She didn't think about what would happen if she missed. She didn't think about what would happened after she missed. She simply aimed, and struck. But she was off by a centimeter. Ean caught this and whirled around on his feet, knocking into Sachi with his shoulder as the rock crumbled, thundering down upon himself and where Sachi had been moments before. He looked up at the mountains and mountains of stone and rubble raining down on him, and, silently, he allowed himself to be engulfed after making sure that the woman was safely out of the way. Cave In At first, Sachi was stunned and shocked by the sudden push on her person. She nearly stumbled on her butt, but caught herself just in time. She jerked her head to gaze where Ean was standing. Her heart almost stopped beating, and her pupils shrank in shock. "Oh no..." Instead of a man, a pile of rubble and stone sat, having freshly fallen from the ceiling. There was no movement, no muffled voice, no attempts of struggle. Deathly still. "Oh my god..." Sachi finally found her voice, and her expression turned to panic. "Ean! EAN!" No response. "DAMN IT!" Sachi screamed in anger, running towards the pile of rubble and climbing on top. Reaching out, she quickly dug through the rubble, praying Ean had not instantly been crushed. If there was any possible chance of him still alive, she had to at least make a hole for him through the rock so he wouldn't suffocate. Her hands stung at the sharp rocks, and they cut into her hands. But she kept at it, her stubborn nature kicking in, until it finally paid off. She finally saw the suppressed figure of Ean, part of him near Sachi's reach. She wasted no time. Grabbing the man by the arm, the blonde placed one foot behind her and pulled. It was enough of a tug to pull him out completely, letting the rubble collapse where he once lay. Then, she set him on the ground, putting her fingers on his neck and feeling for a pulse. His arms were held in a strange position, one bent to the right of his head, his elbow seeming to block something, and his left across his chest. The skin was frosty, and it was apparent he had frozen the sides of his arms in a last minute resort not to be crushed easily. He was bleeding in multiple places, and he was barely breathing, his pulse faint, but it was there. He was obviously unconscious, but he seemed cold, as if he had just barely escaped death. Sachi shook her head, her hair falling over her face. Her mouth was set in a frustrated scowl, teeth showing. "I am so stupid!" She cursed herself. "Why didn't I move?! Why didn't I pull him out when I had the chance?!" She reached out with her arms and wrapped them around his body. Then, she leaned over, pulling him over her shoulder and stood up slowly, slightly hindered by his weight. That immature part inside her head was making up mocking words about him eating too much, but she punched them out of her head. It wasn't the time. She walked quickly, carrying Ean over to the entrance of the now-open cave, and looked around. It was incredible. The room was the size of a cathedral sanctuary, reaching so high that the chances of seeing the very top of the ceiling were slim to none, the walls so big and wide that you could easily build a small town in the cave. But that was not the amazing part. It was the fact that there was light in the middle of the deep cavern that astounded Sachi, there were deposits of star stones everywhere, and the warmth of the room gave them an almost eternal glow, the collected light being enough to see everything from the highest deposits down. There were even exotic flora growing in the deep rocky crevase, moss, mushrooms, even grasses were present, living with whatever little light they ever got and what small amounts of nutrients they got from the partially volcanic soil of the cave. Sachi put one hand on her mouth. "I....I had no idea...." She whispered, walking through what seemed like the exuberance of nature. She slowly walked towards one of the more isolated crystals, away from all of the rest, where she leaned over and set Ean down, resting his head on her knees. Not getting up from her kneeling position, she grabbed the tops of her sleeves and pulled, ripping them cleanly off. She checked to study their length, then brought out a kunai from her pouch and cut them into more manageable strips. Then, looking down at the man that rested seemingly so comfortably, she blushed slightly, reached for his shirt, and slowly began to pull it off. Eventually, she managed to expose his bare chest, along with several wounds. Taking a strip in her hand, she reached and slowly wrapped it around the points that were most vital. It wasn't long before she had all of the necessary spots wrapped in bandages. The others' wouldn't leave too much of an affect on him hopefully. The warmth of the cave had long since defrosted his arms, but he had shown no signs of waking up soon. He lay there, still cold, resembling the way he slept, quietly, not moving, even... alone. The scar on his face was red, as if something inside him was bursting to get out, and that scar was the seal that was keeping the... monster, supposedly, from revealing it's fangs and ugly head, keeping it from wreaking havoc on the world. Sachi had failed to notice. The sudden rush of adrenaline and exertion had overcome her too quickly, and sank against the wall. She breathed heavily, beads of sweat running down her face. She would have to look after him for now. She had no idea how to get back to the surface for help, and she had no idea if that thing could break in here or not. The most horrifying fact was that she had no idea if Ean would wake up, or if he had went into a state of comatose. "Don't you leave us, Ean..." Second Night Ean was not where he had been set down by Sachi. The shirt was still next to her when she woke up, and he was nowhere in sight. But, there were foot tracks in the grass and moss, leading to the center of the large room they were in. "Huh?" Was Sachi's first thought, as she slowly got up. She studied his shirt, then the footsteps in slight confusion. At least it didn't show that he was forcibly taken by something... "Where did he go?" She grabbed her sword, which was lying beside her, and sheathed it, following the trail of footsteps slowly. "Ean?" She called out, using her cupped hands as an amplifier. Ean was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a small clearing, his elbows on his knees, facing away from Sachi. He did not answer, did not move. He seemed to be a statue, well-toned muscle substituting for stone. He was even perfectly still, his bandages removed and he was fully healed. Sachi's eyes widened. "I must've been out for a long time..." She thought, stepping closer towards the man and smiling. "Thank God, Ean." She said in a relieved voice. "For a minute there, I thought you had gone off and died on me!" Ean turned to looked at the blond, the right side of his face revealing a small, reassuring smile, showing he was at least bemused by Sachi's worries. "Well, as you can see, I'm not dead. Here, sit down, we need to chat." he said, gesturing to his right side, for Sachi to sit down. Sachi nodded, silently walking over and sitting down. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked, gazing curiously. "I sincerely wanted to thank you for saving me from that rubble," he said, still staring straight ahead. "I guess that's one life saved out of a few hundred taken, huh?" "That's an unusual choice of words...." Sachi thought, but chose to ignore it. "It...wasn't that big of a deal...." She replied, glancing at the man sideways. "Surely if you can save one life, then you can save the world," he said, gesturing to the large scene in front of them. "For example, if I could stop all of these plants from dying, I could certainly stop the rest of the world's flora outside of this cave from dying. But, there is the converse to that..." Sachi raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?" She asked. Ean sighed slightly, "If you can destroy a single life, then you can certainly destroy the world." he said, solemnly. "It has been said that killers did not find it easy to kill the first time. Thieves were not confident their first time in stealing, and stalkers were always the kind of sick man you would find flop sweating behind the corner of a building... until they decide to act on their thoughts..." Sachi couldn't help but wonder. "Why would Ean suddenly start talking about this''?"'' She thought. "And why isn't he turning to face me completely?" She decided to keep her mind on guard, but listened carefully at Ean's words. "It's interesting to think these things, I feel, but there are those who call me crazy for it," said Ean, sighing as he said those last words. "Heh, maybe I am crazy. But who cares? I don't seem like a psychopath, do I?" "Well...." Sachi's face turned to that of a calmer nature. "If we're gonna actually discuss this, you might as well face me. Can't look professional when half of your face is pointed away from me." "I guess you're right," he said, and as he turned to face Sachi, it was shown that the left side of his face was frozen once again. He spoke ina tone that showed this most likely wouldn't change whatever plans he had, "Oops. Blew my cover." Sachi's eyes widened considerably. "Oh, SHIT!" Instinctively, she got up and jumped back two leaps, then stood back up and staring down what she assumed was Ean. "Wrong again, Sachi. You weren't talking to Ean... you were talking to his demon." This demon was no longer in front of her, he was not within her range of sight. Suddenly, Sachi felt a strong hand grip her wrist from behind, twisting her arm, and the other reaching for her waist line, undoing the fastening of her sword's sheath. After kicking it out of the way, the frost spoke in a breathy and obviously aroused voice, "This time Sachi-chan, I don't think I'll let you go as easily as you would like to be...." whispered the ice demon in the blond's ear, his breath condensing in the air. Sachi let out a gasp of pain, head falling back slightly. Her face signaled a horrified expression. It wasn't the fact of pain, or the threat of death, but the tone arousal that frightened her. That mere tone suggested pain....torture.... Violation. "L-let me go...." She hissed. "Or, I swear I'll--" "You swear you'll what?" asked the demon in a taunting way, "Oh, I'm begging for your input Sachi-chan, please, tell me what you're going to do!" he said as he smirked, knowing this was driving his blond captive crazy. Sachi didn't answer. She couldn't answer. She had been ill-prepared, and it cost her a crucial defense. She was helpless and at the non-existant mercy of this.... monster. She could only glare at him, eyes wavering slightly. "Oh? Nothing to add? Oh, well then, I guess you wouldn't object to a little of this?" he asked scathingly as he reached for the hem of Sachi's shirt, his fingers exploring every inch of skin they could find. Sachi struggled at the sudden action, but his grip was too strong in order to break. "You sick freak!" She spat angrily. "Ean" smirked. "Oh, c'mon Sachi-chan, it's not that big of a deal, right?" the emphasis on "that" due to the demon raking his fingernails across Sachi's stomach. "Stop calling me that!" Sachi snapped indignantly. Ean brought his hand back to Sachi's arms. "Now why on earth would I do that? Don't you even have a little bit of love for me?" he asked as he mock pouted, while gripping Sachi's wrists fully now. Sachi's head tilted slightly back, and she shut her eyes, cursing under her breath. "I'd kill myself first." The demon stuck his bottom lip out, "Aw, don't do that, that's sad," he said, mocking Sachi's serious tone. He forcfully encased her wrists in ice, frozen together in a hand-cuff style brace. He put his head near her ear, "I wouldn't encourage escape, or death, as I said before, I'm not letting you go..." he whispered, licking his lips to add effect. Sachi flinched at the contact. "Ean...." She thought in her head. "If you're somewhere in there....please pull him back....!" But she knew she could not be heard. Was he too far gone? She prayed not. "Come now, let's have fun wi-..." said the demon, stopping abruptly in the middle of his sentence, releasing Sachi as he did so. An opening! As soon as she felt him release his grip, she quickly turned around to face him, hands still bound behind her. She stared incredulously. "I think....he DID hear me...." She thought, a small wave of relief washing over her. Ean's face contorted into a frustrated expression, "Get out of here, Sachi. Now," he said, staggering back slightly, as if he was resisting an attack. "Of course! He's fighting it off!" Sachi, realizing what needed to be done, nodded and turned on her heel. She could find some way to break the "cuffs" on her hands, possibly through chakra use. Ean had fought his demon before and won.... what said he couldn't now? She could wait for him after he was done suppressing the damn thing. Ean stopped struggling. He regained his posture, and his smile returned. "Oh, I am a magnificent bastard, aren't I?" he asked as he sweep kicked Sachi to the ground, his intentions possibly worse than before. "NO!" Sachi's hope quickly diminished, as she slammed onto the ground on her face. Her heart quickened, and for a split second, she found herself paralyzed. "Move....please move....!" She struggled to pull herself up. "MOVE, DAMN IT!" The demon was standing over her, his eyes filled with every single urge possible. "What'd I say, huh? I said I'm not letting you go as easily as you'd like..." "This can't be happening...." She thought, terrified. Upon seeing the minimal reaction he was getting, the demon extended his hand, growing ice off of his fingers into sharp, threatening knives. "C'mon, squirm for me! Give me a show!" shouted the demon, picking her up by her collar and throwing her against the nearest tree, cutting open her shirt, making her bleed on her arms and collar line. Sachi gasped in pain, as she sank down, her shirt in tatters. "Please....someone help me...." "Stand up!" yelled the demon, catching Sachi by her throat, forcing her to stand. He grabbed her wrists behind her, broke the binds, but refroze them to the tree. Sachi continued to struggle. "Please...!" She shouted desperately. "L-let me go!" The demon stepped closer to her, closing what little gap was between them. "No... No, I've waited, waited too long for this..." he breathed, bringing his hand up to Sachi's face, making such light contact it was as if he weren't a demon at all. "I've waited... waited days for this... and I will get what I want..." The very least Sachi could hope for now is if Ean couldn't see this. "A miracle happens only once...." She thought, staring into his eyes fearfully. The demon ran his fingers through her hair, reaching for the hem of her pants. "C'mon, what's the matter? It's not that bad..." he said, half sincere, half teasing like the evil monster he was. "If you're gonna do it..." Sachi snapped, glaring at him. "Do it already...don't waste my time with talk." Her voice was shaking as she spoke, but her tone was sharp. The demon frowned, "Alright then, let's have some fun with this..." he said, greedily undoing everything. "Ean....don't look...." She could only close her eyes, as he dove in for the kill. It wasn't long, before Sachi's screams echoed throughout the cavern walls. Next: Of the Fate: Demons Unleashed